Hoosick

submitted by Gail Smith

Well, Hoosick has Heart didn’t meet its rather ambitious goal of 500 units of blood this year, but we did collect 461 through 6 community, 2 school, and 2 business drives, which is 102 units more than last year’s 369.

Our last two drives of the year last week honored Dr. Marcus Martinez. On Wednesday at Hoosick Falls Central, 56 units of blood were collected. On Saturday at HF Community Alliance, the weather didn’t help and there were quite a few deferrals, which means people came to donate but couldn’t for one reason or another; but at the end of the day, there were 45 more units of blood than there were at 7 am when the Red Cross arrived.

A couple of Dr. Martinez’s patients came down from Arlington to donate in his honor.

Hoosick Falls has many die hard blood donors and we are seeing more and more first-timers. Every unit you donate makes a difference in someone’s life.

Our first blood drive of 2015 is on Friday, February 6, at Hoosick Falls First Baptist Church from 1 to 6 pm.

The HAYC3 Winter Solstice Labyrinth Walk will be returning to the HAYC3 Armory on Sunday, December 21, from 6 to 7 pm.

An ancient symbol that relates to wholeness, the labyrinth has long been used as a walking meditation and prayer tool by many cultures and faiths. Featuring a single path to the center and back out, the labyrinth represents a journey to our center and back out into the world. For many, the labyrinth walk leads to healing, self-knowledge, peace and finding a purpose in life.

The event is free and open to the public.

The HAYC3 Armory is located at 80 Church Street in Hoosick Falls. For more information, call HAYC3 at 518-686-9050.

HAYC3 (Hoosick Armory, Youth Center, and Community Coalition) is a rural revival and community arts organization based in Hoosick Falls. HAYC3’s goal is to restore rural sustainability and drive economic development through art, culture, education and health. It works toward these goals through being a community incubator, an art center and a place of opportunity.

submitted by Bill Gaillard 

The “big band” known as the Stardusters was formed in 1976 by Cortland Cottrell and continues today managed by his son Bill Cottrell and conducted by Bill Gaillard. The Stardusters will present its third annual Christmas  concert on December 14 at 3 pm at the Community Alliance Church in Hoosick Falls.

Big bands were popular in the latter part of the last century and were known by their musicians such as Glen Miller and Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, among others. Instrumentation included five saxophones, three trumpets, three trombones, a piano, traps and a bass. In many cases the leader was a soloist, and, in the case of the Stardusters, Bill Cottrell is the lead trumpet or soprano sax soloist.

The Stardusters are available for parties, receptions and concerts. Recently, the last week in June, the band performed in Wood Park before the summer band concert season and three years ago began the tradition of a Christmas concert.

Being a swing group in the big band era, the Stardusters’ Christmas selections are arranged with the swing or jazz idiom in mind. This adds a new  type of programming to the holiday season.

Some of the selections on this year’s program include “Winter Wonderland,” “The Nutcracker Swing” (based on “The Nutcracker Suite”), “Deck the Halls with Bones and Saxes,” “O Holy Night,” “Silent Night” and the Christmas waltz.

The program will also include audience participation with well known carols in a sing-a-long.

The audience is asked to bring a non-perishable food item to be given to the local food closet.

All are invited to attend this swingin’ concert. The Stardusters join a list of musical groups in Hoosick Falls continuing a tradition started by Henderson VanSurdam and the Eberles among others.

submitted by Bill Gaillard 

The Hoosick Falls Community Band under the direction of Bill Gaillard will present its 32nd annual Christmas Concert on  December 17, at 7:30 pm at the First United Presbyterian Church in Hoosick Falls.

The Community Band is a continuation of the VanSurdam Military Band established in 1873 by Henderson S. VanSurdam. The original name of the band was removed at the request of the VanSurdam family in 1970, and the band was renamed with many of the original members. Bill Gaillard became conductor under the managerial time of Fred Quackenbush.

The Christmas Concerts were started by Rev. Robert Sprunger who was the pastor of the First United Presbyterian Church at the time and also a clarinet player with the band.

The Community Band is known for its summer concerts in Wood Park, its support of the Flag Day ceremony, its marching in the Memorial Day Parade and recently doing a concert at the Waubeeka Golf Course. The brass section also performs at the tree lighting and provides music in the Village prior to the Christmas Holiday.

Selections on this season’s program include “Blue Christmas, “White Christmas,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “O Holy Night,” selections from Handel’s Messiah, “I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day” and “The Christmas Song.”

Our own “God  Bless America” soloist Judy Hoag will lead us in what has become almost a second National Anthem.

The program will include an audience participation sing-a-long of popular carols.

A reception will follow the concert, and all are invited to a concert provided by our home town band.

Exhibitors Still Being Accepted

The Health And Fitness Expo will be held at the HAYC3 Armory, 80 Church Street, Hoosick Falls,  on Saturday, January 10, from 9 am until 1 pm. This family-friendly event is open to the public and will feature over 30 exhibitors including dietitians, reiki practitioners, skin and health experts, fitness instructors and more. Free workshops, educational programs on common chronic illnesses, free health screenings and health and wellness opportunities will take place throughout the day.

Physicians and other local health care providers will be on hand to discuss services available to you or a loved one to manage health issues.

The fee for adults is $2; children are admitted for free. To learn more about the event or exhibiting, please call HAYC3 at 518-686-9050 or visit  www.hayc3.org.